Dental-floss holder.



l. KENYON.

DENTAL FLOSS HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14. 191s.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

0 v w u a THE cpLuMBlA PLANOGRAPH CO-JWASHINGTON, D. c.

TED? STATES PATENT OFICE.

JOHNSON KENYON, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 JOHNSON & JOHNSON, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DENTAL-FLOSS HOLDER.

Application filed August 14, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHNSON KENYoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental-Floss Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to holders for dental floss, ligatures, or the like, andparticularly dental floss holders.

In packaging dental floss it is essential that it should be in a container, which is convenient to carry and which will not allow the floss to become contaminated in carrying or handling. Heretofore it has been marketed either in the form of a metallic reel or spool on which it is wound, or in a glass bottle provided with a metal cover. Both are objectionable on account of the expense of the vehicle and especially because of the metal. 7

The object of the present invention is to provide an all glass holder, which perfectly seals the floss and yet admits of the facile removal of the same, and which is provided with a tension device and with means for severing the floss in lengths as may be desired, said tension device and said severing means being formed integrally with the holder or container.

With this and other objects in view, the nature, characteristic features, and scope of the invention will more readily be understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dental floss holder embodying features of my invention and more especially indicating its mode of use. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on ]ine 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a view on an enlarged scale of the delivery or operating end of the holder.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 represents dental floss inclosed within an all glass container 6, which is sealed or closed at 7, after the introduction of the floss, in the manner usual in glass manufacture. At its opposite end the holder or container is formed with a central eye or delivery aperture 8 through Which the floss end 9 is threaded. Externally the edge or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Serial No. 45,474.

rim of the eye is formed with a boss 10 of rounded or smooth contour so as not to fray the floss. 1 1 is a post or projection formed integral with the delivery end'of the holder and the purpose of which is to receive the end of the floss, or to act as a tension device when the floss is being severed. Opposite the post and welded to or formed integral with the holder is an'inclined marginal lip terminating in a knife edge 12. The latter constitutes a simple and convenient means for severing the floss in such lengths as may be desired. The element 12 being small and mconsplcuous I prefer to form it of some contrasting color to that of the holder.

Interposed between the roll of floss and the delivery end of the holder there is a packing or sealing member, which may be a rubber disk 13, having a central eye or orifice 14, through which the floss passes to the delivery eye of the holder. The presence of this disk or packing insures the perfect sealing of the contents of the holder.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made in details without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and as to such the invention is not limited other than required by the state of the art.

Having described the nature and object of the invention and the manner in which the same may be performed, I claim 1. A dental floss holder, comprising a glass container having a post and a cutting member formed integrally therewith, and having a delivery opening intermediate said post and cutting member, substantially as described.

' tainer having formed integrally therewith at opposite sides of said opening a post or tension devlce and a marglnal 11p termmat: mg 1n a knife edge, said marginal lip having a contrasting color, substantially as described.

4. A package of dental floss, comprising a glass receptacle within which the floss is sealed, one end of the receptacle having a central eye or delivery aperture through which the floss is threaded, and at opposite sides thereof a post and a cutting member, and a packing element interposed between the floss and the delivery end of the receptacle. v

5. A package of dental floss, comprising a glass receptacle within which the floss is sealed, one end of the receptacle having a JOHNSON KENYON.

Witnesses:

FRANK W. CONING, FRED B. KILMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

